Urgency of the Times

By Elizabeth Prata

I have pneumonia. I'll be doing re-runs until I can clearly think and research. The essay below the line was published in October 2012 on The End Time.

A prefatory note: I've always been interested in prophecy. Jesus's return has always been imminent. It was for Paul 2000 years ago and it is even more so for us. In my short time as a Christian, but having lived a long time as a pagan (through the 60s sexual revolution, the 70s feminist revolution, and the 80s decade of greed) it's obvious that the veneer of civility and morality covering American culture is melting away like a snowflake on a hot iron. In addition, the more recent developments in evangelicalism with the high rates of biblical illiteracy, charismaticism, female rebellion, social justice replacing the Gospel, and the collapse of the Southern Baptist Convention (long thought to be a bastion of conservatism) the snowflake melting has occurred in the visible church as well.

It's something to mourn, but nothing to be surprised about. Jesus will return soon and right every wrong. I've been warning of His soon return for 12 years and if I warn of it for another 50 years His return would still have been imminent.

Now on to the re-post.
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I've been reading Jeremiah 4, a tough, tough chapter. There are so many parallels between Jeremiah's time and ours... So when I finished reading, I re-listened to John MacArthur's sermon that he delivered in June 2011 about Jeremiah and his times, called, "Prophetic Message to an Ungodly Nation" and he compared it to our times. They are so similar it is amazing. I guess maybe not so amazing...because sinful people are still sinful people and pride is still pride and culture is still fallen.

I also listened to a sermon on Jesus as the Word from John 1. My favorite verses in the bible are John 1:1-5. So that was a good sermon to listen to, very edifying and beautiful. Stay in the word. Jesus is our rock to cling to.

Here is an essay by Dr. David Reagan on the topics of Urgency and Encouragement. I hope it encourages you as it did me.

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Urgency
Dr. David R. Reagan,
Monday, October 29, 2012

There is a sense of urgency in the air. Our nation is on the brink of moral and economic collapse. The world is caught up in an insane frenzy of terrorism. The Middle East is about to explode. And the biblical signs of the times are shouting from the heavens that Jesus is about to return.

In the words of Charles Dickens, "It is the best of times, it is the worst of times."

It is the worst of times because the depravity of Man is manifesting itself in the increasing rejection and blasphemy of God. The result is an exponential increase in violence and immorality.

It is the best of times because the collapse of society worldwide is the fulfillment of end time prophecies that point to the soon return of Jesus.

An Exciting But Challenging Time

We are privileged to be living in such an exciting and momentous time when we can witness the stage being set for the triumphant return of Jesus. But it is a time that calls for courage.

We simply must keep our eyes on Jesus, and we must remember that even if our nation has no hope, we as individual Christians have great hope.

But that sense of hope will prevail in our lives only if we consciously and determinedly live with an eternal perspective.

God is in Control

We must keep in mind that as the world falls apart around us, God's Word says that He "sits in the heavens and laughs" (Psalm 2:4). His laughter is not prompted by a lack of concern. Rather, He laughs because He has everything under control, for He has the wisdom and power to orchestrate all the evil of Man and Satan to the ultimate triumph of His Son.

He has also promised that He will walk with those who are Christians, accompanying us through fire and high water (Isaiah 43:1-3).

And He has promised us an escape before the world totally collapses into absolute chaos (Luke 21:36). That escape is called the Rapture. When Paul revealed this escape in detail in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, he concluded by saying, "Comfort one another with these words."

Additionally, we have the promise of the Millennial reign of Jesus to look forward to. What a day that will be!

Jesus will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords from Jerusalem. David, in his glorified body, will reign as King of Israel. We, in our glorified bodies, will be scattered across the earth to reign over those in the flesh. And the earth will be flooded with peace, righteousness and justice, as the waters cover the seas (Isaiah 2:1-4 and Isaiah 11:3-9).

Maranatha!


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